02 Silverado Plastic Rattle Noise Behind the Gauge Cluster

[Jet-X]

I have never taken out the gauge cluster, but I have this annoying "plastic" type rattling/knocking noise that is driving me crazy. Taking the cluster out looks straight forward. I have not been able to find any pictures of what is behind it. It may be something simple like a loose defroster vent or a cable flopping around. Anyone have any insight into what may be causing this? I have already secured the plastic defroster vent channel under the driver side and that didn't help. Thanks

[muddkatt]

Pulling the cluster is easy. Set the parking brake, turn on key without starting truck, shift to low gear. Remove the dash trim (held on with clips), Cluster is held in with a few screws. Remove them and pull the cluster straight out. It has a single electrical connector that is in the top/center.

 

After you pull the cluster, drive it to see if that corrected the noise, or maybe locate the source.

[Jet-X]

As suspected, the cause was a loose wiring harness connector in the upper left corner was banging against the plastic insert behind the gauge cluster. Zip tied it to the frame and that's the end of that. Also added some 3M squeak reduction tape to some of the area's behind dash bezel, since it was already out. It's so much quieter now.